Return of the Unknown
by Hobohunter
Summary: It's been one year since Dirge of Cerberus, and President Shinra is finally having the mansion cleaned out. What hides below the depths of the mansion? Who sleeps behind the glass stasis tube?
1. Return Of the Unknown

_Chapter 1_

_Nibelheim, One year after Dirge of Cerberus:_

President Shinra had ordered his soldiers and the Turks to start cleaning out the old Shinra Mansion that was at the farther end of Nibelheim. As the soldiers were loading crates with old research papers and books from the lower lab, Reno and Rude stood there lazily and watched the others work.

"Man, this is so BORING!" sighed the red haired Turk as he leaned up against the wall. He would rather be back at the Inn sleeping right now, or practicing his fighting techniques with someone. Reno was a Turk, and shouldn't be cleaning out an old rundown mansion. He wasn't a maid.

His partner, Rude, watched the younger man while his eyes were concealed behind dark glasses. He was the silent type, but when he spoke, it was a deep, burly voice. The bald Turk watched his fellow partner whine some more, and saw him lean against a stone Angel statue that hung onto the wall.

Reno sighed loudly and leaned more against the wall with his elbow on the statue. "We should just go back and-" the statue was pulled down by Reno's weight and the wall slid out from behind him, "Woah!" he yelped as he fell backwards onto the floor. Slightly dazed, he tried to look around the darkened room. The old lab looked like it hadn't seen the light of day in ages, dust and cobwebs covered the dank room.

Rude walked over to the red head and helped him up from the ground, after doing so, he placed his hand on the wall and felt for a light switch. Reno, after getting up, started dusting his suit off and squinted.

"Looks like an old Lab... I wonder if the President knows about this place?" he covered his eyes from the light after Rude had finally found the switch.

"I doubt it, he would have said something about this."

"Yeah, you're right I guess..." the younger Turk walked around and slid his fingers across a lab table, "It's so dusty, no one has been here for years by the look of it. Hey, what's that?" he pointed to a large cloth covering that was hiding something behind it. Rude followed him over to the area and pulled the sheet off.

"Well it seems that Professor Hojo had some secret experiments still going on." said the bald man as he stared at the tank. There was a blonde woman floating in what he would guess was mako. She was wearing a long white gown and looked like she was sleeping peacefully inside of the tube.

Reno looked over at the file folder and picked it up, after he opened it, he tried to read the faded yellow paper.

"Let's see here," he placed the folder to his eye level, "Name: Clara- holy crap." he looked at the last name once again, then he read it a few more times to make sure he read right. Then he looked up at the 'sleeping' girl and back at the file.

"That's a pretty bad last name if you ask me." said Rude as he also stared at the girl, she looked so familiar to him, but he just couldn't place it.

"Here, read the name!" shouted Reno as he shoved the folder in his partner's face. Rude read the name and then lowered his glasses to read again.

"Well I'll be damned, I wonder how the professor figured that out." he pulled his cellphone out and dialed his boss, "Hello, Sir? We need to show you something that's very important."

_A/N: This has been on my computer for YEARS. I finally decided to post it hehe. I'm always trying to expand on my writing, please tell me how I'm doing, but I don't appreciate flamers. :)_


	2. I Remember You

Chapter 2

Cloud Strife road throughout Edge on his motor bike, Fenrir. He pressed his aviator glasses up his nose and stopped, something seemed wrong to him. The blonde man looked around the stop lights and saw a red flash go past.

"Red XIII, what're you doing here?" he said as he looked at his old comrade; his friend. Cloud watched the red being stand next to him and shake his mane out of his golden eyes.

"There's something happening, the planet sounds like it's crying, Cloud, what do you think it is?"

The 'Ex-SOLIDER' took his glasses off and showed off his crystal blue eyes, "I have no clue, but whatever it is, I don't like it."

The light changed green and the two quickly went to Seventh Heaven, the bar that Tifa and Cloud ran together. He parked Fenrir and went inside the tiny bar, its creaky ceiling fan spun around, not making the air any cooler. He looked behind the wooden bar and saw Tifa waiting for him. The brunette sat down some shot glasses she was holding and walked over to him.

"Hey, Reeve called, he's coming over soon. He sounded worried, what's going on?" she furrowed her brow as she looked at her childhood friend.

Cloud walked into the bar further and let Red XIII inside. "I don't know what's going on Tifa, but I guess that Reeve knows something, it's not the first secret he's kept from us."

The three heard a scuffling noise and a young boy appeared, "CLOUD!" Denzel yelled as he headed for the blonde man. His tiny arms wrapped around the mans arm as he hugged him. "Hey Cloud, are you ready to take me and Marlene out today? I've finally saved up enough gil to get that game system I've wanted!"

Denzel smiled widely at his friend and waited for an answer. He wanted to play the new console with Cloud and show him the proper way to play video games. Cloud was good, but only at those 'little kid games' at the Gold Saucer.

The blonde man stooped down to get to his level, "I'm sorry Denzel, but something-"

"Has come up." said a voice from behind. The group of friends turned around and saw a tall man with a goatee, the former head of Shinra's Urban Development Department, Reeve Tuesti.

"Reeve, what's going on?" asked Cloud as he stood back onto his feet.

"It seems that Rufus Shinra has found something that was dear to me... It's located in your home town." he pointed his finger to Cloud and then over to Tifa.

"What are you looking for in Nibelheim?..." asked Tifa in a confused tone. What was in that little town that was Reeve's?

"Is it in the old Shinra Mansion?" said another voice from behind.

"Vincent," replied Reeve cooly, "You're exactly right." the Commissioner of the WRO turned around and faced the former Turk.

"Who all did you call Reeve?" asked Cloud, as he looked around the room the only people that were missing were-

"You idiot! You just had to have us Parachute out of your crazy air ship!" screamed a voice from outside the bar.

"Don't tell me how to run my life, woman!" replied the man, he adjusted the goggles that were on his head and opened the door.

"Heya guys, it's been a while!" said Cid as he walked into the bar, snubbing his cigarette in an ashtray close by. Yuffie was walking in right behind him, giving a death glare. She raised her arms above her head, ready to attack the older man.

"Yuffie. Cid." said Cloud as he nodded his head at them, That was almost the whole group but-

"Marlene! You make poppa so proud!" said Barret as he came down the stairs, he cradled Marlene is his arms tightly.

"Poppa, you're gonna squish me to death!" giggled the small girl. She clung to her Father and laughed with him. The tall dark man looked at his friends and furrowed his brow.

"You guys are already here?" he questioned out loud. His white teeth gave off a large smile as he looked around.

"What's in the mansion that's so important to you?" asked the blonde man seriously. He didn't like playing games with Rufus Shinra.

"I'm not sure." Reeve's dark eyes looked down and pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. A faded picture fell out of his coat and Denzel picked it up. It showed a young teenage girl posing next to a green chocobo and a mysterious 'man' with a long white beard.

"Who's this?" he asked curiously. He turned the picture around and held it to Reeve.

"This is Sophia... My little sister." his dark eyes scanned over the young boy, noticing the look of shock on his face. Mrs. Tuesti, Reeves Mother, hadn't spoken about her before.

Cloud reached for the picture and stared at it. The young girl had light hair and eyes, she looked nothing like her brother. Not wanting to upset Reeve, he handed the picture back to him.

"She's been missing for nine years now..." his voice became low, indicating how hurtful the subject of his sister was. "The last time my Mother heard from her was when she was in Cosmo Canyon.

Red XIII's ears pricked up a bit and walked over to the picture that was in Reeve's hand. His golden eyes scanned the small piece of paper, looking into the girl's eyes.

"I know her..."

The other's gathered in and took a look at the picture of the girl.

"I know her too!" shouted Yuffie. She grabbed the picture and looked at it closely, "I tried to steal her materia and..." her brown eyes shot up at she let out a nervous laugh. "Well she got it back, you know!"

While Yuiffe was looking at the picture, Cid took a peek at it. A smirk filled his face, "I know 'er too. She came by Rocket Town one day, had me take a picture of 'er in front of my old rocket."

Barret arched his eyebrow and then looked at the picture, "Well I'll be damned..."

Tifa looked at the picture and then at Cloud. "I never met her. And Vincent surely hasn't."

The ex-SOLIDER's eyes looked down at the picture. She did somehow seem familiar to him. Maybe he saw her in Midgar nine years ago, her brother did work for Shinra.

"Time to go. We need to get to Nibelheim as quick as possible..." Reeve stated. His eyes casted down, he didn't enjoy speaking of his late sister.

"Alright! Time to head to the Highwind II!" Cid turned around and started to walk out of the Seventh Heaven. The others followed him out onto the sidewalk, seeing a large vehicle waiting for them.

"Ah, Cloud. So we see each other again." the man brushed his Strawberry blonde fringe out of his eye, revealing his blue gaze. This suit was clean and crisp, showing no signs of wrinkling. Two figures dressed in suits stood behind him, one with long black hair, and the other with short blonde.

"Shinra." stated Cloud. His eyes scanned the man that stood before him.

"We're accompanying you to the mansion. I thought we could drive you to the Highwind."

"That's Highwind II..." mumbled the captain under his breath. If icy glares could kill, then Rufus would be a dead man. Cid still held a grudge against him for the 'Tiny Bronco' incident, not to mention the whole 'you're killing the planet you selfish Bastard'.

President Shinra scoffed and looked at Cloud, "Well, shall we?"

------

Reno looked at the girl in the stasis tube. Her blonde hair was floating around in the green mako. Her eyes were closed, but he knew what color they would have been, blue, the brightest blue you could have imagined.

"Reno," gruffed the bald man, "Sir told us to drain the tank and leave her for a while."

The redhead's eyes shifted up to him, "Why? It's not like she can walk out, she's been affected b-"

"The President said to drain the tank and leave her alone." Rude walked over to the large red switch and pressed it. The mako, energy from the lifestream, drained out from the glass cylinder. The girl slumped against the glass and didn't move. Her eyes stayed closed as though she were still asleep.

Reno placed his hand on the tube and looked at her. She deserved better than this, what they did to her... It was inexcusable.

"Come on." said Rude with a nudge of his head. They both exited the secret room and pulled the Angel statue down. The wall slide back and closed off the dusty lab once again.

-----

Her fingers twitched slightly, showing signs that she was regaining control of her body. The blonde's eye lids flickered, showing off the color that was hidden behind them. She placed her hands against the glass wall that was before her and pushed herself up in a standing position.

Where was she? How long was she here? Why was she even here?

_Him..._

She thought silently. Her hands clenched into fists and she beat them across the glass. A normal human would not have been able to even make a chip, but the spiderweb-like cracks spread across her prison.

_What the?_

Her hand pulled back and she slammed her palm against the glass. Sending shards and broken pieces across the room.

She was about to set one of her delicate feet onto the broken shards, but held against it. Her body felt like it floated as she jumped to a clean spot across the floor. Her eyes scanned down at what she was wearing, the white gown ruffled against her ankles.

The blonde looked over at the set of lockers and saw something flicker.

"There you are," she muttered as she walked to the lockers. The large colored orbs shone back at her when the locker opened. She picked up her bag that sat next to it and found her clothes thrown inside.

"Now to get the Hell out of here..."

A/N: I hope to get more writing done tomorrow. Not for just this story though. I have been slacking off on all my fics. =(


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